Not less than 700,000 unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards are lying fallow at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Delta State.
The development is disturbing to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan who made the disclosure during the campaign rallies of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
The rallies took place at Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili North and Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Areas of the state respectively.
Uduaghan decried the apathy of eligible voters in the state towards the collection of their permanent cards.
The Peoples Democratic Party flag-bearer in the state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, who also expressed concern at the rally, appealed to his supporters, educating them on its importance.
Senator Okowa, flanked by his Campaign Organization’s Chairman of Communication and Mobilization, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, appealed to eligible voters to avail themselves of the last few days provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the collection of the PVCs.
Governor Uduaghan said: “This is the only way Okowa can be delivered, come February 28.
“Your PVC is your power to vote and be voted for.
“It is your power to deliver Senator Okowa.
“It is not by coming to rallies that we know you are for us.
“It is by your power of vote.
“So, go and collect your PVC if you have not because I have it on good authority that over 700,000 PVCs are yet to be collected in Delta State.
“By 12 noon on May 29, this year, you should be referring to me as ex-governor.
“Then I would have handed over to Senator Okowa.
“So, if you want that to come to pass, go now and collect your own, if you have not.”
The state chairman of the PDP, Chief Edwin Uzor, who hailed the unprecedented crowd of supporters at the rally, further prayed the defaulters to pick up the PVC.
Uzor emphasized how pleasant it would be when on May 29 Uduaghan would hand over to another PDP successor, maintaining that the party in the state has no alliance with any opposition in the forthcoming election.
